


Sorrow

by J (victony)



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-28
Updated: 2007-08-28
Packaged: 2018-01-04 04:20:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1076456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/victony/pseuds/J
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edward is dead. Alphonse is alive, but in grief. How is Winry going to take the news?</p>
<p>Alternate ending for Fullmetal Alchemist manga (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood anime), set just before the Conqueror of Shambala OVA. I might have messed up the timeline.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sorrow

**Author's Note:**

> A fanfic I posted six years ago on fanfiction.net. The original title was "Sorrow of A Survivor", but that is quite a mouthful, isn't it?
> 
> I've left the fanfic as it was written all that years ago, unbetaed and with spelling and/or grammar errors. Please do look past them, as I'm aware they exist! :)

"What happened to Ed?"

Alphonse Elric stood in the gloomily-lit kitchen, his body facing his childhood friend Winry Rockbell, but not his face. He was silent; honestly he did not know how to answer. He did not want to lie to her and yet his elder brother had told him not to tell anyone what had become of him.

The truth was that Edward Elric, elder brother of Alphonse Elric, was dead. Well, not really dead, just…gone to another world. Even though that was the truth, his brother was not dead and was completely alive in another world, he was as good as dead. Because Alphonse was in his body.

Alphonse remembered it all well, as if it had just happened; they had gone to meet the Truth again in front of the Gate. Alphonse had met his own body there, naked, yes, but quite alive, though it had been years ago that the Truth had taken it away from him. His brother had gotten back his limbs and the automail replacements had dropped to the ground, noisy clanks in the silent world of the Truth.

The Philosopher's Stone had helped in the payment of their entrance fee to the Truth's world and Edward's limbs, but not for the return of Alphonse's body. The Truth was good but it was also cruel; in exchange for a body to house Alphonse's soul, Edward had to be sacrificed. Alphonse closed his eyes and he could still hear the screams from his brother as his soul was forcefully pulled into the Gate.

_Al, don't worry about me. I'll be back, tell them I'll be back. Take good care of my body. Don't tell them what had happened to me, just tell them I'll be back, OK?  
_

"Al, answer me!" Winry demanded. She was crying. The screwdriver she was holding moments before was on the floor.

Alphonse hung his head. "I am sorry. I cannot tell you."

Winry grabbed Alphonse by his collar and punched him hard for a few times, but still Alphonse would not say. She was crying very hard as she punched him for the last time and sank onto the floor, sobbing and muttering Edward's name.

"Didn't he say a Philosopher's Stone was all it takes to get back his limbs? And your body? Whatever has happened to him? Where is he? Why are you in his body? Why? Why!? **WHY!?** "

Alphonse watched her crying. It was tearing at his heart and he really wanted to tell her everything, but he could not. To betray his brother, his fellow sinner, was unthinkable. As sinners they were destined to be condemned. The Truth was just doing its job, and so was the Gate. No one was to be blamed except themselves.

"I am sorry…" The apology was the only thing Alphonse could say. Still Winry's tears flowed. Still the part where it hurt most throbbed with pain. Still Edward was in another world. He was never coming back. The Truth had done its job efficiently.

Sinners are people who have defied the Laws of Nature, who have tried to bring the dead back to life. The rules of Equivalent Exchange must be obeyed by all, nevertheless of rank and social status. Alchemists lived for the sake of others; not for themselves. By living for themselves they had become traitors and sinners, and these the Elric brothers would remain, until the end of time.


End file.
